Ground Breaking August 2012

After a recent renovation, Lakewood Car Wash & Detail Center is now offering a more environmentally friendly carwash.

The carwash’s new technology reclaims and recycles wash water, thus reducing usage. Since their water is filtered, treated and recycled, the wash is now a member of the International Carwash Association’s Water Savers program.

In Lakewood, driveway wash water that goes into storm drains is not treated, and it goes straight to the ocean. Lakewood Car Wash only uses about 12 gallons of fresh water per car, and all water discharge will be sewage treated.

The $5.99 express exterior wash here cleans a car in less than five minutes with spot-free drying and free vacuums. The new concept was designed to fit with today’s busy lifestyles, according to Co-owner Alex Shakouri.

Lakewood will also work with non-profits, schools and churches for financially rewarding and eco-friendly fundraising programs.

BLOOMINGTON, IL

The Rainstorm Car Wash chain broke ground on a fourth location here, and the owner said speed is the chain’s top priority.

The new location should open around Labor Day, and the drive-through wash will join two existing Rainstorm tunnels in Decatur and one in Champaign.

Speed is a top priority at Rainstorm, according to Owner Daniel Dougherty. The goal is to get customers in and out of the wash in just minutes. The wash will be located next to a Shell station, and it will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

TUCSON, AZ

Mister Car Wash and Lube Center, a chain based here, celebrated the grand "reopening" of four carwashes it acquired last February during the second-to-last weekend of June.

Free coffee was given out on both Friday and Saturday as part of the celebration at the nearby Coffee X Change.

All four locations were acquired from Capin Car Care Center last February. The sites were all remodeled and rebranded and more than $700,000 was spent on improvements.

PELHAM, AL

The $3 million Blue Rain Express Car Wash is now open for business.

The 4,000-square-foot carwash is the first of four planned in the area.

The carwash uses Tommy Car Wash equipment, and the carwash's ownership group is led by D. Warren Baily of Victory Automotive.

STITTSVILLE, OTTAWA, CANADA

Professional hockey players Chris Neil and Matt Carkner of the Ottawa Senators were on hand to help celebrate the grand opening of the brand new Oil Changers facility which is a multi-profit center that includes a quick lube, carwash and pet wash.

Both players sat outside on June 9 and signed autographs and greeted everyone who waited in line.

There was also a barbecue, a raffle, face painting and an inflated slide to help celebrate the occasion.

Oil Changers now has 26 locations in Ottawa, but this is the first one with a pet wash. President Thomas Marin decided to include a pet wash after learning of their popularity at recent trade show conventions. Marin said this location, which is owned by Vice President Jon Marin, will serve as a model for future sites.

The chain works hard to give back to the community, and it also does its part to help the environment.

The addition of U-Haul products will provide families in the area with increased convenience and a shorter distance to travel when moving.

The carwash, owned by Charles Burcker, will now offer a variety of moving equipment and supplies designed specifically for moving household furnishings.

“U-Haul is proud to be partnering with a quality independent business such as Victory Lane Truck & Car Wash,” Chris Schaffer, president of U-Haul Company of Harrisburg. “Charles is a great example of the type of successful business relationship U‑Haul has established in order to build and maintain a strong network of more than 15,000 independent dealers across North America.”

The June 11 press release stated that Regal will also have a Take a Box/Leave a Box display. This allows customers to return their reusable boxes so that other customers can take them as needed — for free.

In addition, Regal can now offer customers moving equipment and supplies such as moving vans, open trailers, closed trailers, furniture pads, dollies and auto transports.

Regal also will sell items such as heavy-duty boxes in a variety of sizes that are made of up to 90 percent recycled content.

“U-Haul is proud to be partnering with a quality independent business such as Regal Auto Wash and Detail,” Greg Ruffing, president of U-Haul Company of Nashville, stated. “(This) is a great example of the type of successful business relationship U-Haul has established in order to build and maintain a strong network of more than 15,000 independent dealers across North America.”

EASLEY, SC

The new Premier Car Wash and Lube here is now open for business.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on May 24. Operations Manager Marcus Colon said he and partner Chief Financial Officer Todd Bennington bought the business on April 2.

The duo invested more than $200,000 in upgrades and also made over the lobby area.

Premier Car Wash is unique in that it offers customers an Internet cafe.

Colon said his goal was to occupy customers' time and make it as painless as possible. He feels that with the Internet cafe, they're free to go on there and surf online, check their email, and even book a flight while waiting for their car.

The carwash also has an "if it rains incentive.” Meaning, if a customers gets their car washed and it rains the following day, within 24 hours they can come back and get a free exterior wash.

O’FALLON, MO

A carwash’s c-store is changing brands here after a Mobil on the Run station across the street closed.

The c-store change inside of Country Club Car Wash was scheduled to be completed at the end of June.

The Mobile on the Run brand stations and Country Club Car Wash locations are under the same ownership. So, the only thing that will change at the carwash is the type of c-store inside.

It will still have the same name and will still be a Mobil gas station like it was before, but the convenience shop will now be a Mobil on the Run, according to Julie Henrich, Country Club’s accountant.

VANCOUVER ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

JCB Holdings got approval to open up a carwash and Laundromat here.

JCB, which is owned by Bruce Logan and Jerry Liedtke who also own the Village Food Market mall, is working to make sure the business is environmentally friendly and the used water will be treated before it goes into the storm drains.

The bright and well-lit Laundromat will be 3,000 square feet and will be the largest on Vancouver Island. It will include 50 energy-efficient machines and will offer up a coffee shop/cafe, a play room for children and WIFI.

The carwash will include a touchless, soft-touch wash and self-serve bays capable of washing ATVs, boats, trailers and recreation vehicles.

JCB is spending well over $1 million to build the facility.

SCIO, MI

Ground was broken for the construction of a second Zippy Auto Wash here.

Zippy’s owner, Corey Weaver, decided to open a second location based on the success of the first wash as well as customer requests. Weaver said they got a lot of requests from customers who live on the west side of town.

Weaver is hopeful that the new 5,000-square-foot site will be ready to open by October or November of this year, and he noted that carwashing is a lucrative business year-round. Customers want to wash off salt in the winter and mud in the summer, so there’s an “endless supply” of dirty cars for the business.

While Zippy currently has 10 employees, Weaver has plans to double that number closer to the time of the grand opening. Overall, 20 to 25 employees will be needed to support both sites, and Weaver is looking for attendants, assistant managers and site managers.

KISUMU, KENYA, AFRICA

Due to increasing water pollution, an environmental agency has built five carwash sites away from Lake Victoria here.

The sites were needed because carwashing is now prohibited on the shores of the lake.

Carwashing, farm fertilizers and industrial effluence have all led to the formation of green algae that has caused problems for fisherman and domestic users of the lake’s water. Fishermen and sand harvesters complained that the algae causes skin ailments and said the water can no longer be used for cooking.

In addition to algae, the pollution has caused massive deaths of fish and promoted the growth of water hyacinth.